Novocastrian

Has it occurred to you that you don't speak English very well either?

Souvy

But most people think they are the same thing. My missus gets annoyed by it. She is almost pure Quebecoise (slight hint of wagon-burner) but always defines herself as Canadian/North American. Never French.

I haven't see her in over a week so I'm looking forward to getting home.

dbd33

The only parts of the country that are bilingual, in the sense of both languages being spoken, are Montreal and Gatineau. Similarly, the only parts of the country that are metric, in the sense of things being measured in SI units, are government offices. Bilingualism and metricallity are fictions in which the government likes to indulge, it's not our place as immigrants to tell them they are wrong. It's our place to learn enough French and enough kilohectaring to get by or, ideally, to beat them at their own game.

You know, of course, that my child has been paid for bilingualism in French in Vancouver since, during university, she was the receptionist at the francophone cultural centre. Now she's paid for knowing French as it's handy when she goes to Ottawa for on-the-job training. I doubt she speaks to her husband in French but, at work, knowing the language is an asset.